Feb. 19,
2013 — Male rat pups have more of a specific brain protein associated with
language development than females, according to a study published February 20
in The Journal of Neuroscience. The study also found sex differences in
the brain protein in a small group of children. The findings may shed light on
sex differences in communication in animals and language acquisition in people.
Sex
differences in early language acquisition and development in children are well
documented -- on average, girls tend to speak earlier and with greater
complexity than boys of the same age. However, scientists continue to debate
the origin and significance of such differences. Previous studies showed the
Foxp2 protein plays an important role in speech and language development in
humans and vocal communication in birds and other mammals.
In the current
study, J. Michael Bowers, PhD, Margaret McCarthy, PhD, and colleagues at the
University of Maryland School of Medicine examined whether sex differences in
the expression of the Foxp2 protein in the developing brain might underlie
communication differences between the sexes.
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